Finally There’s A Diver’s Watch That Fits Perfectly With Your Suit

The male wardrobe has long been plagued with an age old problem: The pairing of bulky watches and dress shirts. History denotes that these two notions of menswear simply don’t play well together.

Panerai, the purveyors of bold timepieces have been on a quiet mission to change this.

Run your fingers along the distinctly masculine lines of a modern Panerai Luminor watch and you’ll realise a design aesthetic that spans way back to the early 1900s.

This was a time where Officine Panerai officially forged their partnership with the Royal Italian Navy, a move that supplied the crew with watches and precision instruments capable of withstanding the harshest elements at sea.

Step forward a few decades and Panerai would conceive the very first Luminor case in 1950, a special watch housing that features a distinct crown-protecting bridge that would eventually become the brand’s signature detail.

It was this very notion of big, bold and robust timepieces that Panerai built its reputation on.

Today that image has received an elegant makeover with the arrival of the Panerai Luminor Due, one of the Italian name’s smallest watches crafted for those who are born to take on life’s greatest challenges beyond the sea.

Diving Aesthetic Meets The Dinner Jacket

An age of refinement has finally heralded in a new chapter of the illustrious Panerai story.

One of the key elements of the latest Luminor Due collection is a redesigned case which now sees a 10.5 – 10.7mm thickness – a significant downsizing from the 15.65mm thickness of the original 1950 Luminor.

The merger of quintessential Italian design and modern Swiss watchmaking however remains, bringing with it three versions of the the Luminor Due: a 38mm, 42mm or 45mm diameter case.

Depending on the model and size, the Luminor Due collection houses a variation of hand-wound mechanical and automatic movements all boasting a 72 hour power reserve (3 days).

All of these movements drive the hours, minutes and small seconds sub-dial with the exception of PAM00676, PAM00728, PAM00677 and PAM00741 which also adds a seconds reset function to the stylish piece.

The dial comes in four unique colourways to satisfy the most discerning dress watch occasion requiring a suit or tuxedo: Sun-brushed black, sun-brushed blue, sun-brushed anthracite and ivory. All of these dials feature luminous Arabic numerals and hour markers.

Finally we get to the case variations which defines the Luminor Due collection right up until the latest novelties of SIHH 2018.

Polished stainless steel, brushed titanium and polished red gold adds a new dimension to every Luminor Due model. This is further enhanced with a range of leather strap colours that perfectly complements the corresponding dial hue along with 30 metres water resistance.

Who's Wearing Panerai Timepieces

There’s no denying the star power that Panerai has amassed over the decades. Some of the world’s biggest stars and power figures have all had their wrists graced by the masculine aesthetic of a Panerai timepiece.

These names include men like Bill Clinton, Matt Damon, Tom Cruise, Adrian Brody, Dwayne Johnson, Sylvester Stallone and Jason Statham just to name a few.

Final Thoughts On The Panerai Luminor Due Collection

A few believe that the Panerai Luminor has gone soft by going smaller, but this is far from the case. The Luminor Due collection is about welcoming a timeless and bold aesthetic into a sophisticated market.

For this reason alone, the Luminor Due is able to strike the perfect balance between showing off your masculine traits whilst in an immaculate suit.

True versatility in watchmaking is the real winner here. And well-dressed watch lovers get to reap the benefits.